Packaging for altering the composition of a liquid

ABSTRACT

A package for a liquid which is purified includes a neck with a lock-chamber slidable therein. The lock-chamber includes a purifying substance through which the liquid passes when dispensed. At one end of the lock chamber, a plug is positioned to block passage of the liquid through the lock-chamber when the lock-chamber is projected from the neck and to allow passage of the liquid when the lock-chamber is pushed down into the neck.

The present invention relates to the industry concerned with thepackaging and purification of liquids, more particularly in containersprovided with an incorporated obturator, and especially the physical orchemical modification of a liquid.

The invention finds a particularly advantageous application in thepharmaceutical industry, especially in regard to therapeutic productsfor local application as employed in ophthalmology, dermatology,gynecology as well as in cosmetology. The invention is of course alsoapplicable, for example, in the field of bottles of household productsor chemical products.

There exists a known type of container, especially of plastic materialwith elastically deformable walls and a neck containing an inseparableobturator which is movable at will between a closed position and an openposition of the container, of the type provided in plug valves or slidevalves.

It is sometimes necessary to modify the liquid delivered, in particularby extraction of an undesirable substance by passing through a filterelement or purifying element which is external to the container or elseby extemporaneous addition of a substance which is soluble in the liquidcontained in the container, which is fairly common in the case oftherapeutic solutions of lyophilizates and is usually carried out byconfinement of the additional substance in a breakable envelope withinthe container until the moment of use.

The answers given to these packaging problems up to the present time aresubject to practical disadvantages which arise in particular from thecomplexity of the elements to be assembled and on the other hand fromthe fragility of elements which are external to the container or incontact with the liquid prior to use. Moreover, it is necessary todesign a specific package for each application, which limits productionseries and influences industrial costs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of the invention is to provide a readily standardizablepackage for liquids which makes it possible to keep the liquid isolatedfrom the exterior and from any additional substances or from filteringor purifying elements up to the moment of use, composed of elementswhich are simple to produce and to assemble in order to constitute aunitary package which is easy to handle, rugged and inexpensive.

Another object of the invention is to carry out extemporaneouspurification of small fractional quantities which are withdrawn from aliquid within a container as it is being used.

For the preservation of such products during storage, in particular forproducts which are intended for a therapeutic application, it is oftennecessary and even legally compulsory to add preservatives dissolved inthe stored liquid. In the majority of instances, however, thesepreservatives have undesirable effects after or during therapeuticapplication. It is thus often found to produce irritations which inhibitthe action of scar-forming products or the like.

One is thus faced with a problem which is apparently difficult to solve: the need to keep a therapeutic solution in the sterile state during asuitable period of storage which involves the addition of a preservativeand the need to apply the same sterile solution in the pure state andtherefore without preservative. This problem is further complicated bythe fact that the use of a package is fragmented in the majority oflocal therapeutic applications. Once the container has been opened, theliquid is in contact with the surrounding air and loses its sterility ifit does not contain any preservative.

A common solution to this problem which is adopted at the present timeconsists in packaging the sterile liquids in containers corresponding ineach case to an entire treatment, which may be completely purified priorto application subject, however, to the risk of a loss of sterility. Ithas also been proposed to protect the sterility of the contents of acontainer between successive fractional withdrawals by placing asterilizing filter at the outlet of the container.

A filter of this type does in fact afford protection of sterilityagainst external contamination of the non-delivered liquid which remainswithin the container but allows any preservative to remain in thedelivered liquid, with all its disadvantages. Any (total) purificationof the fraction of liquid delivered at the outlet of the containerentails a risk of loss of sterility of the applied liquid and involveshandling operations which are not convenient for the patient who is anoccasional user.

The aim of the invention is to solve this problem and to make itpossible to keep a fractionizable quantity of liquid containing asubstance which is undesirable for use, especially a therapeutic liquidpreservative, and to deliver this liquid at will in successive doses, ina sterile state and purified of the undesirable substance, without anyparticular handling operation.

In accordance with its principal feature, the invention is concernedwith a package for a liquid to be purified, comprising a containerhaving a neck which surrounds a lock-chamber for receiving at least oneelement for the treatment of the liquid when it is discharged from thecontainer, as distinguished by the fact that said lock-chamber isrigidly fixed to an obturator or movable plug which is capable ofdisplacement at least at the time of initial use between a storageposition in which it isolates the interior of the container from thelock-chamber and a position of use in which it establishes acommunication between the interior of the container and the interior ofthe lock-chamber, said obturator being intended to remain rigidly fixedto said lock-chamber which has a constant internal volume.

The lock-chamber advantageously contains a purifying substance which isinsoluble in the liquid retained between an upstream filter element anda downstream filter element.

The mechanical construction and the structure of the package enable thislatter to receive in the lock-chamber a treatment element or element formodifying the liquid which is in contact with the liquid only at themoment of discharge of this latter.

There is thus provided a lock-chamber/obturator unit which, at the timeof storage of the container prior to use, makes it possible for amodification element contained in the lock-chamber to be completelyisolated from the liquid contained in the container, with the resultthat the container can thus be stored in any position withoutinterfering with the preservation of the liquid product containedtherein.

Furthermore, the fact that the lock-chamber is limited by a filter ateach end considerably increases the number of possible modes oftreatment of the liquid at the time of use and permits the possibilityof employing this type of package in many different applications withoutany need to modify its structure.

Arrangements may thus advantageously be made to ensure that thelock-chamber contains a purifying substance or element for modificationof the liquid, that an upstream filter element or first filter elementhas the effect of retaining a first type of particles before the liquidreaches the purifying substance and that a downstream filter element orsecond filter element retains a second type of particles prior todischarge of the liquid to the exterior, an additional function of thetwo filter elements being that of retaining the purifying substancewithin the lock-chamber.

Moreover, as will be explained hereinafter, the fact that the obturatorremains rigidly fixed to the lock-chamber irrespective of the positionof the unit makes it possible, while retaining an identical packagestructure, to employ the package for applications in which it is desiredto isolate the interior of the lock-chamber from the interior of thecontainer after each period of use and/or for applications in which itis desired to be able to mix a product with the entire quantity ofliquid prior to initial use.

In addition, the structure of this package permits a constant internalvolume of the lock-chamber irrespective of the position of storage or ofutilization of the package, with the result that the useful volume ofthe lock-chamber is identical with its internal volume, thus achieving areduction in overall size of the complete assembly.

The lock-chamber can advantageously contain a purifying substance whichis insoluble in the liquid. The downstream filter element canadvantageously be a bacteriological filter.

In an application to a therapeutic solution in which the undesirablesubstance, only at the moment of use, is a product of local applicationof the group comprising eye lotions, nasal solutions, dermatologicallotions and in a general manner the products to be applied in contactwith mucous membranes or at their periphery, the lock-chamberadvantageously contains a substance having the effect of removing apreservative contained in the liquid to be purified.

The permeability of the filter elements and especially of the upstreamfilter element is advantageously such that a predetermined minimumpressure difference (example: manual pressure on the walls of a flexiblecontainer) is necessary for the passage of the liquid in order toprevent contact in the event of sudden jerks between periods of use.

The package in accordance with the invention advantageously comprisesmeans for varying the internal volume of the container. This makes itpossible, for example, by producing action on elastically deformablewalls, to discharge the liquid contained therein.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the means for varying theinternal volume of the container comprise at least one movable wall ofthe container, for example the bottom end-wall, in the same manner as asyringe so as to reduce the internal volume of the container as theliquid contained therein is being discharged. This makes it possible toguard the liquid against any possible contamination by air duringsuccessive periods of use inasmuch as the admission of air into thecontainer is avoided by the fact that this latter does not replace thedischarged liquid by air.

In an advantageous embodiment, the lock-chamber and the plug form a unitassembly having a tubular body, the body being provided with at leastone duct for the flow of liquid through the plug and an end-wall whichcloses these flow means by fluid-tight cooperation, especially by meansof a fluid-tight nozzle, with the neck of the container prior to initialuse.

The lock-chamber/plug unit is capable of sliding within the neck of thecontainer and can be brought at will from the storage position in whichsaid unit is isolated from the interior of the container which itseals-off to the position of use in which the interior of the containeris put into communication with the exterior via said unit in order tofill the container with liquid or to deliver said liquid.

In practice, the lock-chamber/plug unit is advantageously constituted bya tubular body of revolution, the end of said body which is intended tocommunicate with the exterior being provided with an internal flared-outportion in a terminal annular flange, the external radial face of whichforms a fluid-tight annular support for the periphery of said downstreamfilter element and said unit advantageously comprises a delivery nozzlehaving an internal annular shoulder which applies the periphery of thedownstream filter element against the annular bearing shoulder of theannular flange and having means for causing the liquid to flow betweenthe external face of the downstream filter element and an axial deliveryduct of the nozzle.

In a package of this type, good closure of the container in the storageposition and effective freeing of the liquid flow passages in theposition of use are facilitated if the length of the lock-chamber/plugunit is greater than that of the container neck in which the unitslides, the plug and the section of the tubular body which has the samediameter being provided with annular sealing lips or beads in the neckin the storage position and in the position of use. The annular flangeforms a stop on the edge of the container neck in order to limit theextent of downward travel of the lock-chamber/plug unit towards theposition of use in which at least one lateral opening of the plug isfreed from the neck whereas it is enclosed and isolated in fluid-tightmanner within the neck in the storage position.

Isolation of the exterior of the lock-chamber/plug unit in the storageposition as well as in the position of use outside periods of use, atthe same time as the operation which consists in putting in the positionof use, are advantageously obtained by means of a cap which is screwedonto the exterior of the neck and which has an axial stud forshutting-off the delivery duct of the nozzle as well as an internalannular extension applied against the external face of the nozzle inorder to thrust this latter by hand in the downward direction within theneck towards the position of use, the cap being provided with abreakable safety ring forming an extension of its skirt and appliedagainst the neck base of the container so that after initial use, thecap and the nozzle are no longer capable of causing the displacement ofthe lock-chamber/plug unit.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the lock-chamber/plug unitis advantageously formed in a single piece by said tubular body and thislatter is provided at the end which is intended to communicate with theinterior of the container with a chamber which receives a product to bemixed with the liquid at the time of initial setting in the position ofuse and which discharges through a first lateral opening into theperiphery of said plug and through a second opening into saidlock-chamber opposite to said upstream filter element, said receptionchamber being advantageously isolated from the interior of the containerin the storage position and in communication with this latter in theposition of use, said product being poured into said container at thetime of initial setting in the position of use.

This structure makes it possible in a particularly advantageous mannerto combine the use of a treatment or modification element which is notsoluble in the liquid and contained in the lock-chamber and whichpurifies a dose of liquid at each use, with the use of a product whichis soluble in the liquid and especially a lyophilizate which iscontained in the chamber formed in the plug and which is poured into thecontainer at the time of initial setting in the position of use.

The tubular body advantageously has a fluid-tight annular shoulder forsupporting said upstream filter element at the periphery whichconstitutes the separation between the lock-chamber and the plug. It isthus possible without changing the overall size of the lock-chamber/plugunit to modify the respective volumes of the lock-chamber and of thechamber as a function of the desired application and of the modificationelements to be employed, by means of a different longitudinalpositioning of the annular shoulder which supports the first filterelement.

Moreover, by virtue of the single-piece constructional design of thelock-chamber/plug unit, the invention can be readily applied to packageswhich are manufactured, filled and closed without any interruption ofcontinuity, for example in accordance with a method of sterileextemporaneous packaging known by the trade name "Bottle-Pack".

In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, thelock-chamber/plug unit can be practically constituted by a tubular bodyof revolution provided at that end which is intended to communicate withthe interior of the container with an internal annular shoulder forsupporting a first filter element at the periphery and fluid-tightsnap-action engagement means for a plug having the same externaldiameter as the tubular body, a peripheral edge of which applies thefirst filter element against the annular shoulder for supporting thetubular body and in which are cut radial channels for the free flow ofliquid, said channels being intended to open beneath the first filterelement on the side nearest the container.

In order to provide a good support for the filter elements and goodcirculation of liquid, it is an advantage to ensure that the faces ofthe plug and of the nozzle opposite to the filter elements, apart fromthe periphery, have rough surface excrescences which support the facesof the filter elements and form between them intercommunicating channelsfor the circulation of liquid.

In another embodiment of the invention in which it is desired to isolatethe interior of the lock-chamber from the interior of the containerbetween the periods of use in order to preserve the liquid irrespectiveof the position in which the container is stored, thelock-chamber/obturator unit is advantageously displaceable at willbetween said storage position and said position of use.

To this end, steps can advantageously be taken to ensure that the nozzlehas means for gripping by the user and for imparting a movement oftranslation to the lock-chamber/plug unit.

In an alternative embodiment, the lock-chamber/plug unit isadvantageously associated with a rotational closure device within aninverted neck of the container, the plug being provided with a bottomend-wall with open portions and an axial stud latched in rotation in awall which partially shuts-off the internal end of the inverted neck.

In the case of applications in which the liquid of the containerconsists of an emulsion and especially if the active product to beapplied is only an oily compound of this emulsion as may be the case forexample when the conditions of preservation of an oily compound requirethat it should be mixed with an aqueous compound, it is particularlyadvantageous to ensure that the upstream filter element is permeable toall the constituents of the liquid and that the downstream filterelement is selectively permeable to the oily compound while retainingthe aqueous compound in the lock-chamber.

Conversely, should it be desired to retain the oily compound, it is anadvantage to ensure that the upstream filter element is selectivelypermeable to the aqueous compound or permeable to all the constituentsof the liquid and that the downstream filter element is selectivelypermeable to the aqueous compound alone, the preservative which may becontained in the aqueous compound being trapped within the lock-chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

There will now be described in greater detail a particular embodiment ofthe invention which will serve to gain a better understanding of itsessential features and advantages although it should be made clear thatthis embodiment is chosen by way of example without any limitation beingimplied. In this description, reference is made to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of the body wall of the lock chamberengaging the container neck;

FIG. 1B is a schematic view in elevation and in axial cross-sectionshowing the lock-chamber/plug unit of a package in accordance with theinvention, said unit being inserted in the neck of a container andcovered with a cap in the storage position;

FIG. 2 is a view which is similar to that of FIG. 1B and showing thesame lock-chamber/plug unit in the position of use;

FIG. 3 is a partial schematic view in perspective and in axialcross-section showing the body/plug assembly of the lock-chamber/plugunit of FIGS. 1B and 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial schematic view in perspective and in axialcross-section showing the plug of the body/plug assembly of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a partial schematic view in perspective and in axialcross-section showing the distributor nozzle of the lock-chamber/plugunit of FIGS. 1B and 2;

FIG. 6A to 6D and 6 is a synoptic series of diagrams showing theconfiguration of the package of FIGS. 1B to 5 in the different stagesfrom storage to delivery of the liquid;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are schematic views in elevation and in axialcross-section showing two alternative forms of construction which makeit possible to isolate the lock-chamber from the interior of thecontainer between each period of use;

and FIG. 10 is a schematic view in elevation and in axial cross-sectionshowing a form of construction of the lock-chamber/plug unit which makesit possible to pour a product into the container prior to initial use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The package shown in these drawings essentially comprises a container 1,namely in this instance a bottle of polyethylene having elasticallyterminating in a plug 3 at the end nearest the container 1 and in adelivery nozzle 18 at the other end is inserted in the neck 2 of saidcontainer in an axial sliding movement. A cap 26 which covers the unitis screwed on the exterior of the neck 2.

The lock-chamber 4 is constituted by a tubular body 7 of revolution, thecrenellated base 31 of which is provided internally with an annularperipheral bearing shoulder 10 for a first filter element or upstreamfilter element 8 which may be constituted by a perforated membrane, awoven fabric element or a sintered plate, as well as a snap-actionengagement groove 11a for the plug 3.

The plug 3 has the same external diameter as the tubular body 7 andforms an extension of this latter. Its end face is full whilst itsopposite face, namely the face located opposite to the first filterelement 8, has an annular peripheral edge 12 located opposite to theannular shoulder 10 of the body 7. Radial channels 13 cut in saidperipheral edge open externally opposite to the crenellated recesses 31of the body 7 and internally into a set-back axial face studded withvillosities 22. Intercommunicating channels 24 formed between saidvillosities ensure that the liquid flows freely beneath the first filterelement from or towards the radial channels 13. The crenellated edge 12of the plug has an external diameter which is slightly smaller than theinternal diameter of the crenellated recesses 31 so as to form aperipheral collector duct 34 of the channels 13.

The periphery of the first filter element 8 is thus maintained appliedin fluid-tight manner against the annular shoulder 10 of the body 7 bymeans of the peripheral edge 12 of the plug 3 which is snap-actinglyengaged by means of a lateral peripheral rib 11b in the groove 11a atthe end of the body 7. Moreover, the entire remaining portion of itssurface on the side nearest the container 1 is held in position by thevillosities 22 of the plug 3.

At the end remote from the plug 3, the body 7 terminates internally in aflared-out portion 14 and externally in an annular flange 15, theexternal radial face 16 of which forms a fluid-tight annular support forthe periphery of a second filter element or downstream filter element 5which may be constituted by a microporous membrane or a bacteriologicalfilter. The external lateral face of the annular flange 15 has acircular groove 17a which cooperates with an internal peripheral rib 17bof the pipe of the delivery nozzle 18 in order to ensure snap-onengagement of this latter.

The nozzle 18 has an axial delivery duct 21, one end of which opens tothe exterior and the other end of which has its opening at the center ofa face studded with villosities 23 between which are formedinterconnecting channels 20. Said face is surrounded by a peripheralannular shoulder 19 forming a fluid-tight annular support for theperiphery of the second filter element 5 located opposite to theexternal radial face 16 of the body 7.

The second filter element 5 is thus maintained in fluid-tight manner, bymeans of its periphery, between the body 7 and the nozzle 18 which aresnap-fastened to each other. In addition, said element is supported bythe villosities 23 over the remainder of its surface and the liquid canflow freely through the element from or towards the delivery duct 21.

Between the first filter element 8, the second filter element 5 and theinternal wall of the body 7, there is delimited an enclosure forming alock-chamber 4 which may be filled either partially or completely with asoluble or insoluble substance for modifying the liquid 32 to bedelivered. The substance considered may be a salt or a lyophilizate or apurifying substance.

Fluid-tightness of the unit consisting of lock-chamber 4 and plug 3within the neck is ensured at each end of neck 2 in the storage position(FIG. 1B) by means of peripheral annular ribs 9a of the plug 3 and 9c ofthe body 7 and in the position of use (FIG. 2) by means of peripheralannular ribs 9b and 9d of the body 7.

The length of the unit consisting of lock-chamber 4 and plug 3 is suchthat, in the storage position (FIG. 1B), the base of the plug 3practically does not project beyond the inner edge of the neck 2 withinthe container 1 whereas in the position of use (FIG. 2), the plug 3penetrates into the interior of the container 1 to a sufficient depth toensure that the channels 13 open freely beneath the inner edge of theneck 2 whereas the bottom radial edge of the annular flange 15 isabuttingly applied on the outer edge 25 of the container neck 2.

In a position of use (FIG. 2), the peripheral edge of the nozzle 18 isapplied against the outer edge 25 of the container neck without anyinterruption of continuity, which thus prevents any possibility ofgripping and inopportunely returning the lock-chamber/plug unit to thestorage position (FIG. 1B). By way of alternative, the edge of thenozzle could be fitted in an annular recess in the edge of the neck.

The cap 26 is screwed onto the threaded outer edge of the neck 2 of thecontainer 1. Its internally threaded skirt has an extension in the formof a breakable guarantee ring 29 which can readily be torn-off forinitial use of the package. During storage, said guarantee ring 29 isnormally in abutment with the neck base 33 of the container (FIG. 1B) inorder to prevent any untimely screwing towards the position of use (FIG.2). An axial stud 27 seals off the delivery duct 21 of the nozzle 18whilst an internal annular extension 28 bears on the external face ofthe nozzle 18. When the guarantee ring 29 has been torn-off, the cap 26is screwed-down by hand and produces the downward displacement of theunit consisting of nozzle 18, lock-chamber 4 and plug 3 until theannular flange 15 abuts against the edge 25 of the neck, thusdetermining the position of use (FIG. 2) whilst the delivery duct 21remains closed by the stud 27. It is then possible to unscrew and removethe cap 26 from the package without displacing the unit consisting ofnozzle 18, lock-chamber 4 and plug 3.

The liquid 32 within the container 1 can then be delivered by pressingthe walls in order to force it through the lock-chamber 4 and its filterelements 8 and 5 and in order to deliver it through the duct 21 of thenozzle 18.

In the event of fractional deliveries of liquid, the cap 26 is replacedin position, thus isolating the lock-chamber 4 and consequently thecontainer 1 from the exterior. The air sucked-in by elastic return ofthe container walls is filtered by the filter elements 5 and 8 and alsoby the substance 6 which may be enclosed within the lock-chamber, andprotects the remaining liquid 32 from any pollution, as well as theinterior of the lock-chamber.

The alternative embodiments shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 relate to a packageprimarily intended for applications in which it is desired that theinterior of the lock-chamber 4 should be isolated from the interior ofthe container 1 between different periods of use irrespective of theposition in which the package is stored.

The figures illustrating these alternative embodiments are schematic andthe filter elements are not shown in these figures for reasons ofclarity.

The package of FIG. 8 comprises a lock-chamber 4 associated with aclosure device with axial translational motion within the smooth-walledneck 2 of a container 1. At its outer end, the lock-chamber 4 is coveredby a welded, bonded or screwed conical end-piece 35 terminating in anaxial nozzle 36 which can be sealed-off at will by means of aconventional cap 37, said end-piece being such as to constitute grippingmeans enabling a user to impart a movement of translation to the unitconsisting of lock-chamber 4 and plug 38. The inner end of thelock-chamber 4 constituted by the plug 38 is slidably mounted in a blindend-piece 39 snap-fastened in an internal annular flange 40 derived fromthe neck base of the container 1 and provided with lateral openings 41in the vicinity of the blind end-wall. The plug 38 is provided at itsouter end with an externally-fitted frusto-conical annular flange 38awhilst the blind-end wall of the end-piece 39 is provided internallywith a conicity which is complementary to that of the flange 38a of theplug 38. The respective dimensions of the plug 38 within the blindend-piece 39 and their displacement are such that, when the unitconsisting of end-piece 35, lock-chamber 4 and plug 38 is moveddownwards to the full extent within the blind end-piece 39 and the baseof the end-piece 35 is abuttingly applied against the end of the neck 2,the plug 38 shuts-off the openings 41 and isolates the interior of thecontainer 1 from the lock-chamber 4 and from the exterior, as shown inthe right-hand half-view of FIG. 8.

On the other hand, when the end-piece assembly 35 is pulled outwards andthe plug 38 is abuttingly applied against the base of the neck 2, theopenings 41 are freed, the interior of the container communicates freelywith the lock-chamber 4 and the nozzle 36 opens to the exterior afterremoval of the cap 37, as shown in the left-hand half-view of FIG. 8.

FIG. 9 illustrates another alternative embodiment of the package inaccordance with the invention and of the obturator in which alock-chamber 4 is associated with a rotational closure device within theinverted neck 42 of a container 1. The lock-chamber 4 is limited by abody 43 closed by a snap-fastened conical end-piece 44 terminating in anaxial delivery nozzle 45 which can be closed at will by means of aconventional cap 46. The plug 47 is provided with open portions and withan internal annular shoulder 48 on which is applied the peripheral edgeof an upstream filter element, the bottom central face of which is thusfreed from the end-wall of the plug 47.

An axial stud 49 extending from the plug 47 is latched in rotation in awall 50 which partly shuts-off the inner end of the inverted neck 42.The wall 50 and the plug 47 of the body 43 are provided with identicalopenings 51, 52 respectively in circular arcs of less than 180 degrees(90 degrees, for example) which can be moved at will by rotation of thebody 43, either opposite to each other so as to cause the interior ofthe container 1 to communicate with the lock-chamber 4 and with theexterior via the nozzle 45 after removing the cap 46, or each andrespectively opposite to the plug 47 of the body 43 and to the wall 50of the inverted neck 42 in order to isolate the interior of thecontainer 1 from the lock-chamber 4 and from the exterior, as shown inFIG. 9.

Irrespective of the mode of utilization of the lock-chambers 4, it isimperative to ensure that the assemblies have seals such that the liquidcannot flow in any direction other than through the lock-chamber. Thiscan be achieved in accordance with conventional practice by means ofribbed lips, beaded edges or elastic seals.

FIG. 10 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the package in accordancewith the invention in which the unit consisting of lock-chamber 4 andplug 3 is formed in a single piece by a tubular body 7.

The plug 3 constituting that end of the body 7 which is intended tocommunicate with the interior of the container 1 has a chamber 53 forreceiving a product to be mixed with the liquid within the container 1during initial setting of the package in the position of use. Thischamber 53 has a first lateral opening 54 in the periphery of the body 7at the level of the plug 3 between two peripheral annular ribs 9a, 9b ofthe body 7, the rib 9a being applied in fluid-tight manner against theinternal periphery of the neck 2 of the container 1 in the storageposition of the unit consisting of lock-chamber 4 and plug 3 and the rib9b being applied in fluid-tight manner against the internal periphery ofthe neck 2, irrespective of the position of the unit comprisinglock-chamber 4 and plug 3.

An additional peripheral annular rib 9d of the body 7 is provided forperfecting fluid-tightness in the position of use and for ensuring thatfluid-tightness is achieved irrespective of the position of use or ofstorage, by means of two ribs.

A second opening 55 of the chamber 53 provides an access to thelock-chamber 4 opposite to an upstream filter element 8. Once theproduct contained in the chamber 53 has been mixed with the liquid, thissecond opening serves to establish a communication between the interiorof the container 1 and the lock-chamber 4 by means of the chamber 53which accordingly performs the function of the channels 13 of theembodiment shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B to 5.

The package illustrated in FIG. 10 is also provided with a nozzle 18having an axial delivery duct 21, one end of which opens to the exteriorwhilst the other end has its opening at the center of a face studdedwith villosities 23 forming intercommunicating channels 20. Said face issurrounded by a peripheral annular shoulder 19 which forms a fluid-tightannular support for the periphery of a downstream filter element 5opposite to the external radial face 16 of the body 7.

The separation between the lock-chamber 4 and the plug 3 is constitutedby a fluid-tight annular shoulder 10 which supports the upstream filterelement 8 at the periphery and which forms the opening 55.

A cap which is similar to that described with reference to FIGS. 1A, 1Bto 5 and which performs the same function is provided for covering theentire assembly.

All the elements of the package can be readily formed by moldingidentical or different plastic materials or else can be made of variousmachined materials.

The invention is naturally not limited in any sense to the particularfeatures specified in the foregoing or to the details of the particularembodiment which has been chosen in order to illustrate the invention.Consideration can be given to all kinds of variants of the particularembodiment which has been described by way of example and of itsconstituent elements without thereby departing from the scope of theinvention. This invention accordingly includes all the meansconstituting technical equivalents of the means described as well astheir combinations.

We claim:
 1. A package in the form of a container (1) for storing anddispensing a liquid to be purified, the container (1) defining aninterior for containing the liquid, the container comprising:a neck (2)communicating with the interior of the container at a junction betweenthe neck and the interior; a lock-chamber (4) received within the neck,the lock chamber (4) having opposed inlet and outlet ends and treatingmaterial therein for treating the liquid to be purified as the liquidpasses therethrough upon being dispensed from the container; a plug (3)fixed to the lock chamber (4) and being moveable therewith between astorage position and a dispsening position; means (9a) engageablebetween the plug (3) and neck (3) for blocking liquid in the interior ofthe container (1) from contacting the treating material when the plug isin the storage position and for allowing contact between the liquid andtreating material when the plug (3) is in position during which liquidis dispensed; and means (8) associated with the lock chamber (4) forpreventing the treating material from flowing from the lock chamber (4)into the interior of the container (1) when the plug (3) is in thedispensing position.
 2. The package in accordance with claim 1, whereinthe treating material comprises a purifying substance (6) which isinsoluble in the liquid, the purifying substance being retained betweenan upstream filter element (8) and a downstream filter element (5)positioned at said inlet and outlet ends, respectively, of thelock-chamber.
 3. The package in accordance with claim 2, wherein theliquid to be purified contains a preservative and wherein the purifyingsubstance is capable of removing the preservative.
 4. The package inaccordance with claim 2, wherein the downstream filter element (5) is abacteriological filter.
 5. The package in accordance with claim 2,wherein the filter elements (5, 8) include means which allow the liquidto be purified to pass through only with a predetermined minimumpressure difference.
 6. The package in accordance with claim 1, whereinthe container (1) has deformable walls which varies the internal volumeof the container (1) when deformed.
 7. The package in accordance withclaim 6, wherein the deformable walls are elastic.
 8. The package inaccordance with claim 1, wherein at least one wall of the container (1)is movable so as to reduce its volume to permit the liquid containertherein to be discharged.
 9. The package in accordance with claim 1,wherein siad lock-chamber (4) and movable plug (3) constitute a unitdisplaceable by a user between said storage position and said dispensingposition.